Over one hundred youths across Region Two are participating in the second annual Inter-Village Social Cohesion Exchange Programme.

The programme, organised by the Ministry of Social Cohesion, runs from August 14 to August 24 and targets young people aged 14 to 25.

It is being held under the theme, “Youth Inclusion for Sustained Community and National Cohesion”. The programme is aimed at creating cohesive communities by educating young people on the importance of social cohesion in nation building and the role they can play individually or as groups to develop their communities.

Participants in the Inter-Village Social Cohesion exchange programme

Participants in the Inter-Village Social Cohesion exchange programme

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton [centre], Regional Executive Officer, Rupert Hopkinson [left of the Minister], Coordinator of the programme, Shabbir Ali [sitting in the centre] along with other senior officials, participants, and volunteers of the Inter-Village Social Cohesion exchange programme

Participants examining one of the booths at the mini exhibition

Youths who gathered at the Anna Regina Multi-lateral Secondary came from Akawini Village, Wakapoa, St. Monica Village, Kabakaburi Village, Tapakuna Village, Mainstay/Whyaka, Capoey, Mashabo Village, Bathany Village, Lima Sands Area, Onderneeming-Red Village Area and Dredge Creek Area. A number of students from secondary schools in the region were also selected to participate. They include Aurora Secondary, Johanna Cecila Secondary, Cotton Field Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary, Anna Regina Secondary, 8th of May Secondary, Charity Secondary and Al Madinah Islamic Academy.

Minister of Social Cohesion Dr, George Norton, delivering the feature address, told the youths that they all have a role to play in the development of Guyana which can only be achieved through social cohesion. He added that through the inter-village programme, young people can create “a Guyana where all are accepted and loved and most importantly, included in all the decision-making processes.”

Addressing the youths from the indigenous villages, the minister said “do not wait until you are retired and come back into the village with nothing else to do and then you want to become a member of the village council, I challenge you now at this age now, to lobby, to ask the village council to be a part of the village council so that you can participate in the decision making process, you have nothing to lose and all to gain.”

Throughout the ten days, participants will be engaged by a number of agencies which include the Small Business Bureau, religious groups, the Ministry of Public Health, the Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Social Protection. They will also be involved in a number of other activities like football, cricket, volleyball, board games, cosmetology, photography, information technology, metalwork and woodwork.

There is also a small exhibition where a number of government and non-governmental organizations are displaying what they have to offer young people.

The first inter-village social cohesion exchange programme was held last year in Region Nine with 22 villages from the South Rupununi. The next inter-village social cohesion exchange programme is slated to be held in Kato, Region Eight next year.

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